Italy v All Blacks

[reprobate]

@Mr-Fish it's on rugbypass bro

[Billy Tell]

@Tim said in Italy v All Blacks:

@mikey07 Assume Finau is out, he looked bad after that collision. He seemed to slip as he went to tackle, and at the point of collision the back of his head was facing forward, and was the contact point.

He left the pitch like he’d sculled a bottle of whisky and hour before and was being whisked away by some concerned mates. There is no way he is playing this weekend imo.

[Bones]

@Billy-Tell another one to add to the EdG rumour mill.

[antipodean]

@brodean said in Italy v All Blacks:

@mariner4life said in Italy v All Blacks:

dude, they are your words in your post. i am simply asking you to clarify what you mean. Sam Cane is the best openside in the country right now, and caps are not "wasted" on him. And for all they hype, he is not less able than Lakai, he is far more able.

Now, if you are talking about TJP, who is very lucky to be considered in the top 3 halfbacks in teh country, let alone the top 2, then it is a different conversation. However your post doesn't make that distinction.

(you're not the only one to have a pop at Cane either, but yours was the final straw)

Number All Blacks Rucks under 3s on NH Tour
37 Japan ( Cane starts at 7 )
43 England ( Cane starts at 7 )
40 Ireland ( Cane starts at 7 )
78 France ( Savea starts at 7 )

How do you know we wouldn't have lost by more if Cane started?

Here's another way to do stat based selections:

W Japan ( Cane starts at 7 )
W England ( Cane starts at 7 )
W Ireland ( Cane starts at 7 )
L France ( Savea starts at 7 )

[BerniesCorner]

@mariner4life said in Italy v All Blacks:

Look, i am as excited by Lakai as even you crazy Canes fans who think all your players should be starting ABs.

Lomax, Aumua, Tosi, Lakai, Roigard, JB, Proctor, Love.
Well yeah. We'd probably be 4/4 on this tour.

[Canes4life]

I'm going to take a stab at the AB 23 for Italy and see how close we can get:

1. E De Groot
2. C Taylor
3. P Tosi
4. S Barrett (C)
5. P Tuipolotu
6. W Sititi
7. S Cane
8. A Savea
9. C Roigard
10. D McKenzie
11. C Clarke
12. A Leinert-Brown
13. R Ioane
14. S Reece
15. W Jordan
16. A Aumua
17. O Tu'ungafasi
18. F Newell
19. J Lord / F Holland
20. P Lakai
21. T Perenara
22. D Havili
23. R Love / S Perofeta

[brodean]

@antipodean said in Italy v All Blacks:

@brodean said in Italy v All Blacks:

@mariner4life said in Italy v All Blacks:

dude, they are your words in your post. i am simply asking you to clarify what you mean. Sam Cane is the best openside in the country right now, and caps are not "wasted" on him. And for all they hype, he is not less able than Lakai, he is far more able.

Now, if you are talking about TJP, who is very lucky to be considered in the top 3 halfbacks in teh country, let alone the top 2, then it is a different conversation. However your post doesn't make that distinction.

(you're not the only one to have a pop at Cane either, but yours was the final straw)

Number All Blacks Rucks under 3s on NH Tour
37 Japan ( Cane starts at 7 )
43 England ( Cane starts at 7 )
40 Ireland ( Cane starts at 7 )
78 France ( Savea starts at 7 )

How do you know we wouldn't have lost by more if Cane started?

Here's another way to do stat based selections:

W Japan ( Cane starts at 7 )
W England ( Cane starts at 7 )
W Ireland ( Cane starts at 7 )
L France ( Savea starts at 7 )

None of those teams played as well as France. None of them have the same ceiling.

[Mr Fish]

@Canes4life said in Italy v All Blacks:

I'm going to take a stab at the AB 23 for Italy and see how close we can get:

1. E De Groot
2. C Taylor
3. P Tosi
4. S Barrett (C)
5. P Tuipolotu
6. W Sititi
7. S Cane
8. A Savea
9. C Roigard
10. D McKenzie
11. C Clarke
12. A Leinert-Brown
13. R Ioane
14. S Reece
15. W Jordan
16. A Aumua
17. O Tu'ungafasi
18. F Newell
19. J Lord / F Holland
20. P Lakai
21. T Perenara
22. D Havili
23. R Love / S Perofeta

I would say you've got maybe half the starting XV right, if you ignore what position you've put them in...

[BerniesCorner]

@brodean said in Italy v All Blacks:

None of those teams played as well as France. None of them have the same ceiling.

I'm still frustrated with the French result. We had it.
DMac first five, Love at 15, Jordan and Clarke on the wings. Our attack certainly would've been different with those players.
Anyway it's done

[ACT Crusader]

@BerniesCorner said in Italy v All Blacks:

@brodean said in Italy v All Blacks:

None of those teams played as well as France. None of them have the same ceiling.

I'm still frustrated with the French result. We had it.
DMac first five, Love at 15, Jordan and Clarke on the wings. Our attack certainly would've been different with those players.
Anyway it's done

Not that I think he was playing a stormer, watching a replay, when we lost Jordie the French backline defence did change. For whatever reason we had a bit more space to work with when he was on. These are small margins but that’s often the difference with these sort of matches. We looked sped up rather than playing more methodical.

[BerniesCorner]

@ACT-Crusader Probably panicking a bit as we had trouble breaking down their defence

[Kiwiwomble]

just a question re Cane at 7...whats the aim? he's the best 7 so we want to play him to win?....is there much chance we lose without him? i dont think he alone is standing between us and a win...so its really about giving him one last game? i'd rather someone else got some experience there, games like Italy are one of the few chances people get to bridge the gap between super rugby and big internationals (ie still an international, you get to work on combinations with other AB's....not a long way off SA in SA)

[gt12]

@Kiwiwomble

I actually agree that his time has come. And he won't be there next year, but he is available for one last test and:

1. is still our best cleaner and general pest around the breakdown (in other words, he can hold his place based on ability); and

2. he is a past AB captain and warrior who we say goodbye to with one last game.

For me, I think one last start is justified.

[Nepia]

Maybe if Lakai didn't play an entire match last week it would make sense to start him and not Cane. But I don't think we need to to go to the bottom of the well of all the replacement loosies we've brought across in this tour.

[frugby]

@KiwiMurph said in Italy v All Blacks:

@mariner4life my issue with the 'top team' is there is a glaring issue in the 23 jersey. In fact the only player in that spot who has added value this season was Love when he came on vs Japan and scored 2 tries.

I know they need certain cover but there's a real opportunity to look at adding more punch from the bench in the form of Love, Lam etc.

Generally speaking midfielders and wingers, just don't impact a game as much, unless the guy playing there is having a bad game... and if the guy is doing his job well, then he should probably stay out there.

15 can impact the game from broken play far more, and obviously 9 and 10 are pivotal... I think this is part of the reason for a shift to the 6-2 split... a second fresh loose forward can impact the game way more than a sub winger who might only touch the ball four teams, and only one of those may actually be in any space to do something.

[frugby]

@Kiwiwomble said in Italy v All Blacks:

just a question re Cane at 7...whats the aim? he's the best 7 so we want to play him to win?....is there much chance we lose without him? i dont think he alone is standing between us and a win...so its really about giving him one last game? i'd rather someone else got some experience there, games like Italy are one of the few chances people get to bridge the gap between super rugby and big internationals (ie still an international, you get to work on combinations with other AB's....not a long way off SA in SA)

Easy as fans to take the human element out of it. Cane has given loads to the jersey, so would be cruel not to give him a proper send-off. I don't feel the same way about TJ, but can be certain the coaches and most of his teammates do, so likewise, if taken on tour, would be nuts not to give him a final game.

[Kiwiwomble]

im not going to die on the hill as cant argue and wont argue with everything he's given to the jersey....but i also think no one person is bigger then the jersey and so dont buy into the idea anyone deserves "one more game", they get their caps at 100 and can have all the off field accolades they like...but the opportunity to build for the future should trump all, if we get to next season and there is chat about the jump from super rugby to playing whom ever is touring in June being too much it will be annoying

[Crazy Horse]

@frugby said in Italy v All Blacks:

@Kiwiwomble said in Italy v All Blacks:

just a question re Cane at 7...whats the aim? he's the best 7 so we want to play him to win?....is there much chance we lose without him? i dont think he alone is standing between us and a win...so its really about giving him one last game? i'd rather someone else got some experience there, games like Italy are one of the few chances people get to bridge the gap between super rugby and big internationals (ie still an international, you get to work on combinations with other AB's....not a long way off SA in SA)

Easy as fans to take the human element out of it. Cane has given loads to the jersey, so would be cruel not to give him a proper send-off. I don't feel the same way about TJ, but can be certain the coaches and most of his teammates do, so likewise, if taken on tour, would be nuts not to give him a final game.

I was about to post something similar. I think it's reasonable to give him a farewell, to allow him to lead the ABs out one last time and all that jazz. He is an ex AB captain that has sacrificed and risked a fair bit over the years, why not say thanks and farewell? We have time.

[gt12]

@Crazy-Horse said in Italy v All Blacks:

@frugby said in Italy v All Blacks:

@Kiwiwomble said in Italy v All Blacks:

just a question re Cane at 7...whats the aim? he's the best 7 so we want to play him to win?....is there much chance we lose without him? i dont think he alone is standing between us and a win...so its really about giving him one last game? i'd rather someone else got some experience there, games like Italy are one of the few chances people get to bridge the gap between super rugby and big internationals (ie still an international, you get to work on combinations with other AB's....not a long way off SA in SA)

Easy as fans to take the human element out of it. Cane has given loads to the jersey, so would be cruel not to give him a proper send-off. I don't feel the same way about TJ, but can be certain the coaches and most of his teammates do, so likewise, if taken on tour, would be nuts not to give him a final game.

I was about to post something similar. I think it's reasonable to give him a farewell, to allow him to lead the ABs out one last time and all that jazz. He is an ex AB captain that has sacrificed and risked a fair bit over the years, why not say thanks and farewell? We have time.

We've found out that Lakai has ability at this level and we now have: Lakai, Paps, Blackadder, and Savea (if necessary) who can play in 7. It's a not a problemative position, so running out Cane isn't an issue for this test.

He may not be Richie McCaw god-like, but he is a proper AB great, and he was a fluffybunny hair missed kick away from being a WC winning captain. I'd like to see him in black one more time.

[canefan]

The play Cane one last time crowd have convinced me. Let the man run out one last time (maybe sub him at 55 so someone else gets a run)